INGROWN HAIR ON LEGS

I am an African women 28 yrs of age with a very fair complexion and I have been having unsightly ingrown hairs on my legs for the past 5 plus years. Sometimes they  swell up and is very, very painfull. I usually tweeze them out and that has cause extensive scaring or should I say they leave dark marks. Unfortunately when I tweeze them the hairs just grows right back. I have considered the option of laser treatment but it is way too expensive. I hav tried creams but nothing seems to work. Because of this problem I have not worn shorts in the public for years becasue I am highly embarassed with the state of my legs. I desparately need some advise on what I can do because I am looking forward to summer next year and also to visit my home country for Carnival celebrations next year. Please, Please help me.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

You really need to stop tweezing right away, or else inflammation and pigmentation will make you very unhappy next carnival.

If you can't afford laser hair removal, you can try waxing (which sometimes causes a bit of ingrown hair problems),or else shaving.  Contrary to what people say, shaving does not make hair grow back thicker.  Also, it doesn't yank hair out by the roots, so it doesn't leave inflamed spots and resulting pigmentation.

Good luck.

Dr. Rockoff